Journey is just fine

[uktog]

Currently on board Journey and I thought I would just pop in to say hi. Will do a more detailed review when we get back but for anyone suffering pre cruise information/booking pains I can confirm these will all vanish when you come onboard.

 

Food this trip is the best we can remember, the ship is in great shape and the entertainment is very good. The staff are their usual unbelievable selfs and everyone is commenting how happy the staff are. Bar staff will mix any cocktail you want substituting ingredients for free ones if you need a free drink or you can just pay for the real deal and it's not that costly. Wines are lovely as ever, pours as generous. Poolside drinks service is so attentive.

 

The ship is full, many first time cruisers, every one we have met is saying we will be back, why have we not known about Azamara before now - that has to be good news for the brand

 

If anyone has questions I'll try and answer

[excitedofharpenden]

Hi Ann. Thanks for posting. It looks like business as usual on Journey. Having just spent three cruises on her from Mumbai to Rome I concur with all that you say. I was going to do a review, but just haven't got around to it yet what with other issues. I'll try and put some words down soon.

 

Continue to have fun!

 

Phil

Edited May 30, 2014 by excitedofharpenden

[Bloodaxe]

Currently on board Journey and I thought I would just pop in to say hi. Will do a more detailed review when we get back but for anyone suffering pre cruise information/booking pains I can confirm these will all vanish when you come onboard.

 

Food this trip is the best we can remember, the ship is in great shape and the entertainment is very good. The staff are their usual unbelievable selfs and everyone is commenting how happy the staff are. Bar staff will mix any cocktail you want substituting ingredients for free ones if you need a free drink or you can just pay for the real deal and it's not that costly. Wines are lovely as ever, pours as generous. Poolside drinks service is so attentive.

 

The ship is full, many first time cruisers, every one we have met is saying we will be back, why have we not known about Azamara before now - that has to be good news for the brand

 

If anyone has questions I'll try and answer

 

We left the ship in Barcelona & totally agree with you.

The staff from the Captain down are just fantastic, we hope that Royal Carribean give then the credit that they deserve..

Azamara is a little Gem & should be treasured & supported into the future

[oddjob16]

Like:)

[excitedofharpenden]

We left the ship in Barcelona & totally agree with you.

The staff from the Captain down are just fantastic, we hope that Royal Carribean give then the credit that they deserve..

Azamara is a little Gem & should be treasured & supported into the future

 

Spot on!

 

Phil

[Spursgirl]

Two little gems is how I would describe the Azamara ships now having sailed on both.

 

Having just left Journey like Phil, completely agree with you about the food and the wonderful crew. Aldo, our Peruvian cabin attendant was probably one of the best we've ever had and it was a thrill for me to converse with him in Spanish. From Captain Johannes down everyone went the extra mile just as they do on Quest.

 

In my opinion the entertainment wasn't quite as good as last time but it's very subjective and did it affect my enjoyment of the cruise? Not for a second.

 

Continue having fun Ann.

 

Hazel

[Texed]

Currently on board Journey and I thought I would just pop in to say hi.

 

Thanks for posting, and "Hi" back at you. :)

[dcsam]

Uktog,

My thoughts exactly. I'm wondering why it took so long for Azamara to show up on our radar. Wish we had known about them earlier. "Better late....."

We cruised to the Sea of Cortez aboard the Quest and are now getting ready for the Norway cruise aboard the Journey.

Our new favorite cruise line!

[Arizonasunshine]

Thanks for the update. We are sailing on Journey June 14 to Norway.

[midwestchick]

Thanks for the update, uktog. Even with the many complaints I've read, I haven't been at all worried about our upcoming cruises. I can't wait to be on the Journey again. :D

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[BBMacLaird]

We left the ship in Barcelona & totally agree with you.

The staff from the Captain down are just fantastic, we hope that Royal Carribean give then the credit that they deserve..

Azamara is a little Gem & should be treasured & supported into the future

 

Thank you UKTOG and everyone for the kind words. I'll share this thread with the Captain and our CEO, Larry Pimentel.

[uktog]

And the Azamazing evening was unbelievable. Spectacular setting in the caves beautiful rousing music and excellent logistics. Truly a night to remember

[Andy]

Hi Ann,

 

Thanks for your update. Wishing you a wonderful time on Journey.

[Andy]

Hi Everyone,

 

The 3 posts concerning the Open Passages concerns have been moved to the appropriate, and previously exisiting thread. BTW, it's not good manners to hijack a member's thread, with a completely off-topic. Usually, I'd delete such posts as "Off-Topic", but as Bonnie chose to reply, I've moved the posts.

 

If you are looking for the Open Passages discussion, and Bonnie's reply, they can be found here : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2036813

 

Please folks, let's keep the conversation on topic, and be highly considerate of a member whom his is taking her time to post from the ship.

[uktog]

Well our days on board have flown by and tomorrow we will be made to leave - well I suppose if we stood up those work commitments we could stay onboard but that is what pays for these jaunts so maybe we had better go home.

 

It has been an excellent cruise, both in terms of weather but also more importantly life onboard and ashore. I'll repeat what I said at the beginning - the food has been outstanding, every meal just right. New favourite foods have been discovered (for us it was the keylime pie at the brunch) and old favourites re tasted (the sausage rolls in Mosaic).

 

There was a potential disaster, when we boarded there was no rose wine. Later that day rose appeared but they ran out. However, they locally sourced supplies and the darker rose we have been enjoying (I'll try and get it's name) is superb. I do hope they can keep it onboard. Not seen any Sauvignon blanc though but that's not spoiled the trip plenty other lovely wine has been drunk - and there is always today.

 

What can you say about the crew- it's all been said before- but one thing many are noticing, the crew are enjoying doing their work, it's not "automatic smiles" but real smiles and a desire to help and look after you.

 

Our experiment with an ocean view room has worked, we've always been in suites before but as this was an extra cruise the budget won over the heart. Anyway, we think the showers are much maligned, yes more space would be nice - just as I want more space in rooms at home but can't have it, do you ever have enough space? Did we miss the balcony, possibly, but we always found workarounds and reminded ourselves we were lucky to even very onboard!

 

Some things I've loved over Celebrity (over and above the food and service which are different league)

 

the simple process for getting on the internet and using your free minutes, no horrid long lines in the computer room but a code in your welcome letter from Le club voyage hostess.

 

Your unused minutes would roll over to your next cruise (if you had some and were staying)

 

You do not get that sense of cruise rush - what I mean is on Day 2 on Celebrity I am asked when I want to disembark and I feel hey I'm only just here I don't want to be reminded I'm going home in x days. Azamara do not do this, indeed no form. They allocate based on the info you put in online, independents can go at any time between 7.15 and 9.15 and there is a facility for express walk off for any early leavers. Unfortunately no option this cruise to stay onboard to lunchtime but as they sail away earlier I can see why, we are just re jigging plans to work out what to do

 

Maybe others will say otherwise but I've enjoyed the fact there is no poolside entertainment. Most days a large % of guests are ashore anyway and on the one sea day it was good just to have chill time at the pool - entertainment can intrude.

 

Show lounge acts have been great. We have seen Brooks Aeron on big ships, we were so pleased to discover he was doing one night on Journey - and his show is so much more suited to Journey than the big stages, he went down a storm.

 

So tonight docked in Lisbon, local folkshow and White Night Party on deck - what a way to end a cruise!

[Spursgirl]

Ann,

 

So good to hear that your enjoyment on Journey mirrored ours.

 

One thing. I wonder if they have changed things in the last couple of weeks as we had a disembarkation form to complete. It was typically low key though as I mislaid the original one. No fuss from Guest Relations when I realised near the end of the cruise. They just handed over another one with a smile.

 

Enjoy your White Night party and Lisbon and safe travels home.

 

Hazel

[Xport]

Some things I've loved over Celebrity (over and above the food and service which are different league)

 

the simple process for getting on the internet and using your free minutes, no horrid long lines in the computer room but a code in your welcome letter from Le club voyage hostess.

 

Your unused minutes would roll over to your next cruise (if you had some and were staying)

 

Back in February, I first encountered the simplicity of Azamara's new internet enrollment process and the revised policy allowing roll over of unused minutes if doing consecutive cruises... To my mind, both represented some of the best process improvements I've seen aboard ship in ages and both worked like a charm...

 

Don't know if Celebrity is following Azamara's lead relative to roll over of unused minutes [wasn't cruising consecutively and never had occasion to speak with the onboard IT Rep or visit the iLounge], but you will be pleased to know that Celebrity was piloting the simplified enrollment process when I was aboard Constellation in April... And in some respects, the process was even easier as all one needed to activate an internet package is the folio number from one's SeaPass rather than a special code from the Loyalty Host or Hostess...

 

In a company not known for its technological innovation--and goodness knows they have miles to go--it was nice to see some very positive, guest-focused signs of their emergence into the twenty-first century from a systems perspective...

[excitedofharpenden]

Ann, great to hear you continue to enjoy Journey. Enjoy the rest of your time and safe travels home.

 

Hazel, not sure if the lack of disembarkation forms had anything to do with late debarkation not being offered on Ann's cruise. I know they took notice of what we'd entered online because Nikki Denyer the Guest Relations Manager rang me after I'd filled mine in opting for the late debark and said from the details she had my flight was at 1.30 and not enough time to do it although BA had since put it back three hours. As it happened I didn't do late debark anyway and was offered to share a lift to the airport with my lovely neighbours:;):)

 

Phil

[Spursgirl]

Phil,

 

I am sure you are correct re the forms.

 

Btw, weren't you lucky to have such nice neighbours. LOL

 

Hazel

[NewPennCruiser]

We agree with the OP's comments and just got off the Journey as well. We were actually first timers to Azamara and I'm sure it won't be our last. The ship and crew were fantastic. I'm going to try to post a review later from a first timers perspective once we get home, but first we are spending a few days in Lisbon before returning to the States. We just got off this morning and I'm already going through espresso withdrawal from Mosaic Cafe. Dave

[English Tim]

Ann,

 

So good to hear that your enjoyment on Journey mirrored ours.

 

One thing. I wonder if they have changed things in the last couple of weeks as we had a disembarkation form to complete. It was typically low key though as I mislaid the original one. No fuss from Guest Relations when I realised near the end of the cruise. They just handed over another one with a smile.

 

Enjoy your White Night party and Lisbon and safe travels home.

 

Hazel

 

We also had disembarkation forms, on about the third morning.

 

I'm also surprised about wine stocks being replenished mid-cruise, as when we previously cruised we were told it was not logistically viable to take on additional supplies, mid-cruise, partly due the many tender ports and also because of contracts with suppliers.

 

I think a useful addition would be to provide new cruisers with an advice sheet on what was was included and where it could be got from. Many people are confused with the bar pricing and coffee pricing, not realising that many drinks are included, as we were on our first visit to the Mosaic.

 

Yes, the crew and officers are fantastic, but the policies are dictated by RCI.

[uktog]

Well given that the RCI operational auditors were onboard all last week, local sourcing is clearly a permitted policy. There was a lot of flexibility being demonstrated by the ships management and crew all of which was being done under the eyes of the said auditors. So it is not correct to give the impression that Azamara works under Head Office SOPs and cannot vary from them.

 

There has always been local sourcing, that's why Aqualina can serve local catch of the day. Maybe there were other reasons why Tim was told items he wanted could not be procured. I trust Tims surprise was not disbelief as that is how it reads to me as the original poster.

 

The new rose wine was a delight, the Sauvignon Blanc appeared day 6 and I would say all did equate to the standard on Celebrity, not though the standards in their classic package,more the premium level and/or$50 a bottle level.

 

As regards the disembarkation procedures, maybe it's a new way of working, maybe it was cruise / disembarkation port specific, time will tell but it was nice.

 

We met many new cruisers, I did not see anyone confused by the included drinks but as several are planning to post,no doubt they will chip in. I would suggest as we want to keep paper to a minimum these days, if any changes are needed these could be added to the relevant menus and not issued somehow to new passengers. That said, where does it end, we et a lady one day who thought the burgers at the Pool Grill were an additional cost as her travel agent had told her only to eat in the MDR and the Cafe.

[excitedofharpenden]

 

We met many new cruisers, I did not see anyone confused by the included drinks but as several are planning to post,no doubt they will chip in.

FWIW I didn't find it confusing and met no-one else that did, but then again I wasn't asking specifically of people or mentioning it in conversation. My vodka martinis and Blue Waves were no cost:o. If you are in Mosaic on Journey when Nilesh is there he makes a great Chai tea. No extra for that or any of the other teas I tried including the South African Rooibos which was very good too.

 

Phil

[HudandPug]

The only confusion about drinks I saw was shall we have an alcoholic beverage or wait until G & T time ;)

 

This was the daily discussion dilemma, the wait staff always waited patiently for the conclusion. Which was usually a glass of diet coke with one ice cube please:eek:

 

I have posted a review, they are a bit thin on the ground given the numbers that post on here and have sailed recently.

 

Yvonne

[excitedofharpenden]

 

I have posted a review, they are a bit thin on the ground given the numbers that post on here and have sailed recently.

Guilty as charged:o. I'll try and make amends over the coming week.

 

Phil